Definition of romance

• n. - A species of fictitious writing, originally composed in meter in the Romance dialects, and afterward in prose, such as the tales of the court of Arthur, and of Amadis of Gaul; hence, any fictitious and wonderful tale; a sort of novel, especially one which treats of surprising adventures usually befalling a hero or a heroine; a tale of extravagant adventures, of love, and the like.
• n. - An adventure, or series of extraordinary events, resembling those narrated in romances; as, his courtship, or his life, was a romance.
• n. - A dreamy, imaginative habit of mind; a disposition to ignore what is real; as, a girl full of romance.
• n. - The languages, or rather the several dialects, which were originally forms of popular or vulgar Latin, and have now developed into Italian. Spanish, French, etc. (called the Romanic languages).
• n. - A short lyric tale set to music; a song or short instrumental piece in ballad style; a romanza.
• a. - Of or pertaining to the language or dialects known as Romance.
• v. i. - To write or tell romances; to indulge in extravagant stories.